Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities: Using Innovative Design to Build Self-Storage on Challenging Parcels

As pioneering developers and owners strive to meet the growing demand for self-storage solutions, they have to navigate the intricacies of zoning bylaws. Designed to govern land use, these regulations can present formidable challenges that demand not just perseverance but strategic finesse.

Balancing cost, quality and efficiency is crucial in self-storage development. However, site conditions seldom allow for straightforward design. The good news is diligent feasibility and site planning can often transform obstacles into opportunities. Let’s explore innovative approaches by looking at two projects—one on the East Coast and the other on the West—that managed to succeed on difficult land parcels.

An East Coast Case Study

On the East Coast, self-storage developers encounter many challenges, most stemming from the region's dense urban fabric and rich history. Zoning restrictions often prioritize the preservation of neighborhood character, aiming to limit the negative impact of any project. In cities like Boston and New York, where space is at a premium, ordinances are also partial to diverse land uses and community integration. To get approval, builders must employ strategy and innovation to push the boundaries of traditional design.

SecureSpace Self Storage in Manhattan

Because Manhattan is land-locked, building vertically on small parcels is standard practice. Floor-area-ratio (FAR) limits and height restrictions are common. Projects also come with additional conditions like sky-plane setbacks, which may limit building capacity. However, creative architecture can save the day! The SecureSpace Self Storage facility on the Upper East Side is a great example.

First, we had to adhere to a 30-foot rear setback required when abutting a residential parcel, which left us with a shallow footprint. Though the project was initially designed to be an eight-story building with even floor-to-floor heights, it had a FAR of 5.0. The lot was 14,900 square feet, which meant we could build 74,500 square feet above grade. This allowed us to add two floors.

We also had to follow the sky-plane setback after 85 feet, which further shrunk our floor plates. But aesthetically, it allowed us to split the building cleanly into two zones. The first, visible at the street level, received a stone-finish façade. The setback portion was clad in insulated metal panels and acted as a balancing backdrop to the more intricate design of the street face.

Even floor-to-floor height distribution

Varied floor-to-floor height distribution

Originally, the design called for uniform ceiling heights of 10 feet, 8 inches. We had maximized our square footage, but as the New York zoning bylaws don’t count storage lockers as part of the FAR, we realized we could vary our floor-to-floor heights and add locker units. We did this on levels two, three, four and 10.

We then added a cellar and subcellar below grade, as they also don’t count toward the FAR. This presented significant engineering challenges, but it allowed us to deliver a project that was 30% larger than initially planned.

A West Coast Case Study

On the West Coast, self-storage developers navigate a zoning landscape shaped by vast expanses, progressive urban-planning initiatives and seismic considerations. In cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, obstacles revolve around earthquake-safety requirements, environmental-sustainability mandates and transit-oriented development goals.

Local sustainability initiatives make it necessary to integrate green-building practices, renewable-energy solutions and stormwater-management strategies. While pushing self-storage developers to uphold stringent safety standards and environmental stewardship, these unique regulatory frameworks also present opportunities for cutting-edge design.

The most common zoning challenges in this region are easements and setback restrictions. Many jurisdictions dictate how far a structure must be removed from property lines, public roads and neighboring buildings, which can pose significant obstacles for developers eager to maximize land use. It isn’t uncommon for a piece of land to appear ripe for development until you look at the easements running through the site.

Take the SecureSpace facility in San Diego, for example. Located at the intersection of Interstate 15 and State Route 56, this triangle-shaped lot is adjacent to garden-style apartments with a single approach road. Even though self-storage and vehicle storage were identified as the highest and best uses for this tract per the Community Plan Update from the 1990s, the residents didn’t want their views blocked by a new development.

SecureSpace in San Diego

In addition, the land had heavy topography and major electric, gas and water-line easements, making it impossible to use about 45%. The lot remained vacant for more than a decade. A previous developer had proposed a site plan containing three odd-shaped, standalone buildings, each three stories tall; but the cost associated with site work and construction made it financially unfeasible.

Knowing these challenges, our goals were to maximize the built area and construct a “billboard” building with great freeway visibility. Recognizing that multiple low-rise buildings were not the way to go, we took an unconventional approach: one consolidated footprint with 40% to 50% of the building built into a hill. What we lost by doing so was mostly the ability to place drive-up units around the structure. What we gained was quite a lot!

Old site plan with multiple buildings

New site plan with consolidated footprint

Cost-savings. By consolidating the footprint into a single building, we saved on the cost of the façade and created a more efficient layout, allowing us to maintain our underwritten net rentable square feet. Even with the additional site excavation and a complex structural design, we still came ahead on pricing.

Productive collaboration. By using the topography to our advantage, we managed to carve out a footprint that worked around the easement constraints and building setbacks. Collaborating with the city and neighborhood commission, we positioned the building so the tallest part met the sight-line requirements of the neighboring residents. We also used the site grading to provide loading lobbies at all three floors, giving tenants “ground-level” access to each.

Greater visibility. The strategic placement and orientation of the self-storage building allowed it to be visible from the freeway, thereby attracting more attention.

Sustainability. Among other green strategies, we designed a stormwater-management system with biofiltration, high-performance site lighting with zero light pollution, and low landscape-water requirements using native vegetation. This helped us meet California’s sustainability initiatives and create a more balanced self-storage project.

Sight-lines study

Challenges are inherent in the self-storage development process, but it’s possible to overcome them with design innovation. By embracing a collaborative approach, thinking outside the box and engaging with diverse stakeholders, developers and owners can navigate bylaws effectively while redefining what’s possible.

Vineet Bhosle is part of the asset-management team at Insite Property Group, a self-storage developer that operates the SecureSpace brand. He oversees the project-handover process to ensure a smooth transition from construction to operation. Utkarsh Kumar is Insite’s lead planner and designer. Over the last five years, he’s worked on aligning brand and consumer needs with municipalities' goals to advance the company’s pipeline of more than 60 ground-up facilities nationwide. To reach the authors, call 866.521.8292, or email [email protected] or [email protected].